Cullen Skink is an amazing soup/chowder, depending on where you stand in these things, from north of the border. I love it, but sometimes I want it to be more. So for this month I offer my take on the flavours of Cullen Skink served more as a meal. 

When using fresh herbs, such as coriander or parsley, the stalks are often discarded. In this dish the parsley stalks, though separated from the leaves, are retained and used in the sauce to add a depth of flavour that would be absent without them. 

This dish would usually rely on the mashed potatoes to provide body and thickness whereas I have made a traditional parsley sauce and kept the potatoes as a integral part of its presentation.

Ingredients:

• Fresh smoked undyed haddock fillet
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 6 medium Maris piper potatoes
• 400ml of milk
• 100g salted butter
• 1 bay leaf 
• A handful of fresh curly parsley, remove the stalks and keep to one side
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Trim your haddock fillet and cut into portions for two people.

Peel and dice your potatoes and place on to boil in readiness for mashing them later.

Place your onions in a pan with a little oil and 25g of butter. Place the pan over a medium heat, stir frequently to ensure they don’t brown. You’re aiming for a translucent glossy pan of onions. Once soft and translucent, put to one side ready for service.

Place the milk, bay leaf, parsley stalks and haddock in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiled, reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove the haddock carefully and place to one side. Pass the remaining milk through a sieve or chinois to remove the stalks and bay leaf. 

Chop the parsley leaves finely. 

To make the parsley sauce, first take 20g butter and melt in a large pan. Stir in the plain flour and cook for about 2 mins. Take the pan off the heat and gradually add in the milk that the haddock was poached in, whisking continually. Once all the milk has been added, return to the boil, adding the onions and parsley whilst you continue to stir. 

To serve, place the potato on a plate, place the haddock on top and add your sauce, season to taste and enjoy

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